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We all do it – whenever we experience an ache or pain, the first thing we do is reach for some form of pain-relieving medication. Before you grab another ibuprofen, however, try looking a little deeper in your kitchen cabinets! Tumeric has proven itself to be more than just a delicious cooking spice — it also acts as a natural pain reliever. In fact, a recent study found turmeric beat ibuprofen for osteoarthritis in the knee!

WHAT IS OSTEOARTHRITIS?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects over 27 million U.S. adults. It most often occurs from normal ‘wear and tear’ on the knee that causes a loss of cartilage in the joint. The loss of cartilage can result in severe pain, swelling, stiffness, or tenderness in the affected area.

WHY TUMERIC?

A new clinical trial published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that turmeric acts as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to counteract the pain and inflammation found in osteoarthritis. Within a group of 109 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, those who received turmeric as compared to ibuprofen noticed significant improvements in their pain. Pain levels were measured throughout a variety of normal activities including walking and taking the stairs up and down.

Tumeric contains curcumin, a strong anti-inflammatory that targets the inflammatory pathway at a molecular level. This capacity rivals the effects of ibuprofen on pain and is much safer considering ibuprofen was found to be toxic to the heart and has contributed to thousands of deaths from cardiovascular disease each year.

Research is also emerging showing it may play a beneficial role in the following diseases:

• Cancer
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Crohn’s Disease
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cataracts
• Gallstones
• Muscle regeneration
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Virginia Spine Institute’s reputation is unmatched as a world-renowned luxury destination in spinal healthcare, dedicated to providing an elevated level of concierge care for those suffering from neck and back conditions. For three decades, their proven methods have led them to dramatically improving the quality of life for over 100,000 patients, from 32 countries.

People seek care from Virginia Spine Institute because of their elite team of board-certified spine-specialized physicians offering unique approaches to safe and effective back and neck pain relief. As one of the few centers that begin treatment with non-surgical options before recommending surgery, 90% of their patients get better without spine surgery. Through a comprehensive model, Virginia Spine Institute is able to offer regenerative medicine, non-operative treatments, minimally-invasive spine surgery, and physical therapy through their team of spine specialists.

The team’s dedication to detail and patient success is a shining light in the field of spinal healthcare. As pioneers and leaders in this field, they have also accomplished many of the world’s firsts in spine surgery by using modern treatments and cutting-edge technology not offered anywhere else.

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